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Indian Rice Flour Pancakes

A shortage of munitions in the kitchen with a corresponding failure to consider the solution the night before, combined with a desire to produce something for dinner without resorting to pizza delivery or dining out, resulted in a focus on staples.

Pancakes were an obvious choice, especially when you can salvage the last few peppers from the vine along with some vibrant green parsley. A comforting treat any time of day, I adapted this dosa recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian to suit my preferences. Delightfully soft and surprisingly flavorful, these are satisfying for breakfast, lunch or dinner, served with some chutney such as this fresh tomato chutney, or as a flat bread alongside an Indian meal as a substitute for naan.

Combine the flours, salt and yogurt in a food processor. Add the water and process until you have a smooth batter. Add the remaining ingredients, pulse for a few quick seconds and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir a few times.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. When hot, pour in 1/3 cup of batter. Swirl it around a bit so you get a roughly 6 to 7 inch pancake. Add another teaspoon or so of oil to the edges of the pan, cover, and cook for 6 minutes or until the bottom of the pancake is reddish brown. Gently flip the pancake and cook uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the other side is browned. Transfer the pancake to a plate, cover with foil, and repeat the process with the remaining batter.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 23 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.